Fresh fruits and vegetables are fantastic when they’re in season and one way to preserve all that flavor for the rest of the year is to get started with canning and preserving. There are all kinds of resources out there to learn about preserving so that you can make and store anything from canned peaches to tomato sauce to pickles. By far, my favorite thing to make to preserve that summer fruit all year long is homemade jam.

The Ball FreshTECH Automatic Jam and Jelly Maker is just the gadget to add to your collection if you also like to make your own jam. It can really streamline the jam-making process because it will cook and stir your jam to perfection on its own in about 30 minutes. If you’ve made preserves before, you know that it can sometimes be a messy process with fruit splatters getting all over the kitchen. The fact that this unit is completely contained is a nice bonus, since it makes the cleanup process just as easy as the jam-making process. The bowl is nonstick and the bowl, paddle and lid are all dishwasher safe.

The only issue that you might run into is that this machine works in relatively small batches. If you are used to canning enough to fill up the whole pantry at once, you will definitely need to make multiple batches because this won’t handle as much jam as a giant stockpot will. It makes about 4 cups at a time. That said, working in smaller batches may give you the freedom to experiment with new flavor combinations – adding spices or herbs in along with your fruit – instead of making one giant batch of the same thing.